Pale Chanting-Goshawk Melierax canorus Scientific name definitions

46–60 cm (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ); male 493–750 g, female 700–1300 g (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ); wingspan 102–123 cm (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). White flecking on greater wing-coverts, pale secondaries and plain white rump notable. Female larger than male (by 8% in size and c. 30% in mass) (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Most similar to browner and wholly allopatric M. poliopterus but secondaries paler; paler, larger and longer-legged (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ) than M. metabates; much larger than Micronisus gabar, with only outer tail barred. Bare parts: irides dark red-brown (pale yellow in juvenile), cere and bill base red (blackish in juvenile, becoming orange) and legs red (orange-yellow in juvenile) (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Juvenile plumage brown (paler than in M. metabates) (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ), including upper breast  , with banded tail, paler primaries with dark tips, barred flight feathers and abdomen (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ); moults direct to adult plumage at c. 14 months (2 Malan, G., Crowe, T.M., Biggs, R. and Herholdt, J.J. (1997). The social system of the Pale Chanting Goshawk Melierax canorus; monogamy v polyandry and delayed dispersal. Ibis. 139(2): 313-321. Close ). Race <em>argentior</em> paler (more silvery grey) (3 Brown, L. H., E. K. Urban, and K. Newman (1982). The Birds of Africa. Volume 1. Academic Press, London, UK and New York, USA. Close ).

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Editor's Note: Additional distribution information for this taxon can be found in the 'Subspecies' article above. In the future we will develop a range-wide distribution article.

Dry thorn savanna, arid steppe and even true desert with a few trees or woody succulents; thus, usually inhabits drier country than that used by M. metabates (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Recorded from sea-level to 2000 m (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ).

No regular movements recorded (species occupies permanently defended territories of 200–1000 ha) (6 Tarboton, W. (2001). A Guide to the Nests and Eggs of Southern African Birds. Struik Publishers, Cape Town, South Africa. Close ), but some long-distance ringing recoveries of up to 770 km suggest extensive nomadism within arid areas, especially of young birds, or northward movements during austral winter (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). General level of sedentariness perhaps exemplified by recovery of one ringed bird after >20 years within 12 km of its original site of capture (when already adult) (7 Atkinson, P., Demey, R., Kirwan, G. and Lucking, R. (1999). Longevity in Pale Chanting Goshawk. Bull. African Bird Club. 6(2): 87. Close ).

Small vertebrates, especially lizards and rodents, but also birds up to the size of francolin or small bustard and even more exceptionally Spotted Eagle-owl (Bubo africanus) and a stunned Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ), as well as small tortoises, insects (including dung-beetles, grasshoppers and termites) (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ) and carrion (especially roadkills) (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Hunts mainly from a low perch (including telephone poles) (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ) or while searching about on the ground . Can make swift dashes after prey, taking it in flight (including flying birds) (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ); also follows small carnivores for prey they disturb, especially honeybadger (Mellivora capensis), jackals and mongooses (Galerella sanguinea), sometimes for prolonged periods (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Once recorded pirating food from a kestrel (Falco) sp (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Sometimes hunts in pairs, trios or family units.

Mainly silent except in breeding season, when gives loud melodious chanting similar to but perhaps more piping that of M. metabates, “kleeu-kleeu-kleeu-klu-klu-klu...”, which accelerates and becomes more tremulous towards end, in series of up to 12 notes, both when perched and in flight; also a musical “chee-chit chee-chit...” in flight, perhaps in courtship (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ).

Laying Jun–Dec in South Africa, but season overall Jun–Mar (mostly Jul–Jan) (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Chants from prominent perch with tail spread and also calls in flight with exaggerated wingbeats, presumed to represent courtship display (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Both sexes (6 Tarboton, W. (2001). A Guide to the Nests and Eggs of Southern African Birds. Struik Publishers, Cape Town, South Africa. Close ) build, over four weeks (3 Brown, L. H., E. K. Urban, and K. Newman (1982). The Birds of Africa. Volume 1. Academic Press, London, UK and New York, USA. Close ), a stick platform (40–76 cm wide and up to 25–40 cm deep) (6 Tarboton, W. (2001). A Guide to the Nests and Eggs of Southern African Birds. Struik Publishers, Cape Town, South Africa. Close ), lined with dung, fur, rags, wool (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ) and other dry debris, in upper fork often of a thorny tree, e.g. Boscia (6 Tarboton, W. (2001). A Guide to the Nests and Eggs of Southern African Birds. Struik Publishers, Cape Town, South Africa. Close ), Acacia or Euphorbia (3 Brown, L. H., E. K. Urban, and K. Newman (1982). The Birds of Africa. Volume 1. Academic Press, London, UK and New York, USA. Close ), sometimes concealed within creeper (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ), or on a utility pole where trees lacking (usually 5–6 m up, range 2·5–9 m above ground) (6 Tarboton, W. (2001). A Guide to the Nests and Eggs of Southern African Birds. Struik Publishers, Cape Town, South Africa. Close ). Nests may be reused for up to five years, but typically a new one is built within a few hundred metres of the previous structure (6 Tarboton, W. (2001). A Guide to the Nests and Eggs of Southern African Birds. Struik Publishers, Cape Town, South Africa. Close ). Usually two plain greenish-white (3 Brown, L. H., E. K. Urban, and K. Newman (1982). The Birds of Africa. Volume 1. Academic Press, London, UK and New York, USA. Close ) eggs (1–3) (6 Tarboton, W. (2001). A Guide to the Nests and Eggs of Southern African Birds. Struik Publishers, Cape Town, South Africa. Close ), laid at two-day intervals (6 Tarboton, W. (2001). A Guide to the Nests and Eggs of Southern African Birds. Struik Publishers, Cape Town, South Africa. Close ), size 50·4–60 mm × 40·5–45·7 mm, 52–57 g (3 Brown, L. H., E. K. Urban, and K. Newman (1982). The Birds of Africa. Volume 1. Academic Press, London, UK and New York, USA. Close ); incubation, initiated with first egg and almost entirely by female (3 Brown, L. H., E. K. Urban, and K. Newman (1982). The Birds of Africa. Volume 1. Academic Press, London, UK and New York, USA. Close ), c. 35–38 days (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ); chick has white down with long filaments on head; fledging 44–56 days (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ); almost entirely provisioned by male, especially during first three weeks of fledging period (3 Brown, L. H., E. K. Urban, and K. Newman (1982). The Birds of Africa. Volume 1. Academic Press, London, UK and New York, USA. Close ). Sometimes lays replacement clutch if first one lost early in season (6 Tarboton, W. (2001). A Guide to the Nests and Eggs of Southern African Birds. Struik Publishers, Cape Town, South Africa. Close ). Siblicide apparently usual in two-egg clutches in which both hatch (3 Brown, L. H., E. K. Urban, and K. Newman (1982). The Birds of Africa. Volume 1. Academic Press, London, UK and New York, USA. Close ). Breeding trios with an extra male occur (facultatively cooperative polyandry) in Little Karoo, South Africa, but no evidence for increased breeding success as a result; however, polyandrous trios are more inclined to be double-brooded (when conditions are suitable, perhaps two years in five), the second clutch being initiated a mean 24 days after the first brood had fledged (2 Malan, G., Crowe, T.M., Biggs, R. and Herholdt, J.J. (1997). The social system of the Pale Chanting Goshawk Melierax canorus; monogamy v polyandry and delayed dispersal. Ibis. 139(2): 313-321. Close ). Polyandry apparently most frequent (20% of breeding territories were occupied by such groups) in Broken Veld habitat (2 Malan, G., Crowe, T.M., Biggs, R. and Herholdt, J.J. (1997). The social system of the Pale Chanting Goshawk Melierax canorus; monogamy v polyandry and delayed dispersal. Ibis. 139(2): 313-321. Close ). Detailed study of trios reveals that attendance of beta (subordinate) males to females increases significantly from the non-breeding to pre-laying period, whereas female attendance by alpha (dominant) males does not; beta males copulate less frequently with the female than alpha males (8 Malan, G. (1998). The reproductive roles of polyandrous alpha and beta male Pale Chanting Goshawks in co-operative-breeding. Ostrich. P. 326 in:. Close ). During nestling period, beta males provision female and nestlings at equal rate to alpha (and monogamous) males (8 Malan, G. (1998). The reproductive roles of polyandrous alpha and beta male Pale Chanting Goshawks in co-operative-breeding. Ostrich. P. 326 in:. Close ). One polyandrous trio analyzed genetically consisted of two sibling males and an unrelated. It is believed that alpha males and polyandrous females accommodate related beta males, their fitness may surpass that of monogamous breeders (8 Malan, G. (1998). The reproductive roles of polyandrous alpha and beta male Pale Chanting Goshawks in co-operative-breeding. Ostrich. P. 326 in:. Close ). Species sometimes forgos breeding entirely during drought years. Oldest recorded bird at least 21 years old (7 Atkinson, P., Demey, R., Kirwan, G. and Lucking, R. (1999). Longevity in Pale Chanting Goshawk. Bull. African Bird Club. 6(2): 87. Close ).

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). CITES II. Widespread and common in semi-arid areas, with 400–900 pairs at edge of range in W Transvaal, South Africa. Home range 5·4–6·7 km² in Namibia . Precise range and status in Caprivi Strip and W Okavango remain to be determined (9 Dowsett, R. J., C. A. Brewster, and C. Hines (2011). Some bird distributional limits in the Upper Zambezi Valley. Bulletin of the African Bird Club 18(1):17–30. Close ). Conspicuous, but not often persecuted and may benefit from presence of utility poles in desert areas for hunting from or nesting on, although population has perhaps declined in some areas due to removal of cover for subsistence agriculture or for use as firewood (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Not known to be affected by pesticides but may be poisoned locally during locust plagues. Occasionally recorded drowing in steep-sided farm reservoirs (10 Anderson, M. D., A. W. A. Maritz, and E. Oosthuysen (1999) Raptors drowning in farm reservoirs in South Africa. Ostrich 70:139–144. Close ).